Maia Hale: Revelations
by With This Naked Truth
Summary: The Big Bad Wolf of Beacon Hills is back in a mini-fic bridging the gap between Seasons 2 and 3, and which will set up the second part of the Maia Hale Saga. This story as well will reveal the true nature of the her wolf, and help to tie up some loose ends left in 'Skin Deep'. Rated M for adult themes, language, blood/gore and violence. Written with love, from With This Naked Truth
1. Alphamega

**Maia Hale: Revelations**

**A Teen Wolf mini-fic**

_A series of one-shots between Seasons 2 and 3 where Derek and his young pack learn more about the Alpha they now follow. Secrets come out, revelations are had and new beginnings are created, in a world none of them had ever expected could exist. _

**Enjoy.**

* * *

"Derek."

Maia stood in the doorway of the garage, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at her mate's back. It had been almost a week since she had revealed herself to him and he was continuing to refuse to talk to her – or anyone else for that matter. The silence between them was somehow more unnerving and upsetting to her than their fighting has been, Derek spending his days like he usually did at her side but quiet as always.

He looked up at the sound of his name being called but he did not answer, lifting his hands out of the engine well of the Camaro and turning to look over his shoulder at her. "I can't take this anymore, Derek. We do not do well with not talking and ignoring each other and acting like things are okay when they're not. And that's what you're doing with this – going around and fixing up the house, making dinner and getting into bed beside me at night – even when I know that you are pissed off and angry," Maia said quietly, hearing him let out a quiet sigh that was more reply than she had gotten out of him thus far.

"I'll tell you the truth, all of it," she said suddenly, Derek turning around to face her. She had finally realized that it was what he had wanted, that if they were going to be on speaking terms, then she had to give up all of her secrets first, once and for all. "Just… come inside, baby. Come inside and talk to me."

"Alright."

Maia watched as he took his shirt off and wiped his grease-covered hands on it before tossing it into a corner of the garage, closing the hood of his car loudly. She led him into the house and they moved to the kitchen, Derek washing his hands as she took the coffee pot off of the machine and pulled out two mugs.

He sat down and looked at her evenly, Maia sighing as she felt the weight of his gaze, "I should warn you know that I don't have all of the answers here… but I do know that this life is the one I was meant to have, the one I was meant to share with you fully. I feel that truth in every fiber of my being, in every breath I take and in every beat of my heart, love."

She turned to face him a few moments later after making their coffee and came face to face with Derek's fierce stare, the power in his eyes making her still in her movements. Maia moved towards him tentatively, placing the mug before him and letting out a quiet breath when he reached out to slide his fingers over hers.

"Explain this to me," Derek murmured, his eyes searching hers for any hint of a lie.

Once, he had fully trusted in the hierarchy of wolves- something that had been set in stone from what could have possibly been the beginning of time and yet, the rather unassuming Maia Hale had gone and destroyed all of the rules.

Maia had done something… no one had ever thought was possible.

"I'm afraid that for you to understand this, you have to reevaluate your beliefs first Derek," Maia replied before stroking her husband's bottom lip with her thumb, placing a chaste kiss there next. "The realm of possibility is much more than one could ever imagine."

When he was silent, she saw that as permission to continue, inhaling deeply as she sat down beside him at the table, "Before all of this, I was just a woman – your woman. And most of my life, I lived with the notion that I was just a part of a whole – a tiny… insignificant part as we all are: Omegas, Betas, Alphas. But I was human then – human when I met a man who became my mate, human when I had a child who brought me to this life… and still, I was just a part. A part of my true self, a part of the madness that was not knowing what I truly was.

"The scars, on my back from where you wounded me so you could run, were like a flashing sign of weakness to the other wolves out there, coupled with the fact that I was alone. And I came across many while I was searching for you: its what brought Deucalion to me," Maia said, seeing her husband stiffen in anger. "Listen. Don't be mad… I remember that night clearly- my paws had been bleeding from running so hard and I stopped to soak them in a stream, not knowing that I was in his territory. Deucalion and the others came out of the tree line to surround me, growling. He approached me with teeth bared, his eyes red and burning- he saw my scars and assumed that I had been exiled from my pack. I knew then that it was either fight or die and so I fought. He had me, almost... we both felt my breath rattle in my throat and I knew that the end was near. But then I thought of you, still out there, and I knew that I still had something to live for. I ripped away from him and somehow got Deucalion underneath me. I was weak, but I had to challenge him- my eyes were reflected in his and they both burned red. But then… mine burned white."

Derek furrowed his brow, attempting to understand why the divergence had occurred where she was involved. "Alphamega. Alpha – leader. Omega – one who stands apart from the pack. Its what they've started to call me, the leader that is a separate entity from their pack mates; the other, true Alphas still control their 'separate' packs, but I give all the orders and there is nothing that happens within these ranks that doesn't come from me. You know I've always had this thing about… persuading and convincing people to follow me, to do what I want. I was born to be an Alpha, Derek. I was born to lead Alphas," Maia said lightly, her eyes flashing white with intense self-pleasure.

"And I was not born to bow," Derek replied quietly, tightening his hand on his coffee cup. Maia swallowed and shook her head, reaching out to cup his face in her hand, "Baby, if there had been any other way, I would have taken it – you must know that. But there's no loopholes with this and I had to keep you alive, no matter the cost. Look, I made a decision and now we have to live with it: we're alive. We're together and its all that matters; you're my mate."

He lunged forward and attacked her mouth, sucking the breath from her lungs as he took her to the floor. "Want you. Now," she growled gutturally, her wolf taking over. Derek didn't need any more directive than that, smashing the white-eyed female down onto the hard tile underneath them and giving into to his more carnal desires. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a soul-searing kiss that pulled him deep into a place he wasn't sure he ever wanted to come out of…

She laid in his arms afterwards, her fingers trailing up and down his forearm, feeling its weight rest comfortably against her throat. Derek's face was pressed to her loose curls, and although his breathing was deep and even, she knew that he was awake.

"I want to tell you –no, show you – what this power feels like, but its indescribable. That first moment of understanding, of truth in all that I am, was and would ever be, was unlike anything. I finally felt at home in my skin, finally found sense in all this insanity of the moon and lycanthropy, finally found my place Derek. And the best part is the overwhelming feelings and sensations – the sense of being completely in tune with every nerve ending, every fiber of my being… When you kiss me, it feels like my entire body might burst into flames. And when we make love, every brush of your skin against mine is as if I'm being caressed by a thousand wildflowers in a sunlit field… but better. Its so much more than that," she said as she turned in his arms to face him, the honesty in her face something he recognized well. "As soon as I took that first breath after forcing Deucalion to bow underneath me, I felt it – my wolf. She was no longer inside me, but I inside of her… she was and is, everything that you once thought of as the true Maia Hale, all that I will ever become. Every moment that I live is seen through the eyes of my wolf, eyes that are much clearer and sharper than my human eyes could have ever hoped to be. Lying here in your arms is to feel every crack and divot in the floor, feeling your body against my fur. I can hear every animal in the forest around our house – every cry a distinct note, every rustle, every breath…"

Maia took in a steadying breath and smiled brilliantly at her husband, moving to sit up, "So, I'm only going to say one last thing because I feel like I'm talking too much, but… the best part about it was feeling like a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders-"

"I liked who you were before. Loved you," Derek murmured finally, staring at her back. "And not just when you were human, even when you were a wolf, before you came back to Beacon Hills. I don't care what you think now, but she was Maia Hale. Really."

"She was no one," Maia whispered as she stared into the shifting blues and blacks of the dark room.

He moved to brush her hair over the front of her shoulders, his breath warm on her neck, "She had a… beautiful son and a husband that loved her. She had me."

"Had?"

Derek didn't respond as he got to his feet, running a hand through his hair as she inhaled deeply and followed after him. "I made you promise that we would work through what was coming. That we would try," she said seriously, Derek reaching out for his sweatpants. He felt her hand curl around his hip as she pushed him back against the table, using her body to keep him there. Her eyes searched his and he let out a quiet breath, attempting to ignore the surge that raced up his spine from her touch. His attraction to her felt more like gravity – a natural, powerful thing – than it ever had before.

"Maia, I want to," Derek said almost impatiently, not able to concede to the sad look in her eyes. "But I need my time to deal with this, first. It's a lot to take in."

"I know baby – believe me, I know."


	2. The Day Will Come

Maia stood on the cropping rock overhang that allowed her to rise above the pack, naked and covered in mud and war paint, feathers in her hair. It was the night of their first full moon as a whole pack, staving off the change until she had spoken.

"We stand at the cusp of this great, new beginning, together as brothers and sisters, parents and children, husbands, wives and lovers. This is a night to cherish and love one another, to give in to our inner animals," she shouted, baring her teeth as the wolves around her barked and snarled. Maia smiled and gestured to her mate standing behind her, Derek's eyes glowing dimly, "And this is a night to bring the newcomers into the fold. They are all fair game here ladies and gentleman – and I must say that if any of you get your teeth into Isaac, you better hold on to him. But this big Alpha is all mine!"

There were both catcalls and wolf-whistles from the men and women, Maia looking up through the clouds as the moon began its ascent towards the center of the sky.

"Prepare yourselves…"

Some of the mated pairs with children began to start away from the other wolves, knowing that the rest of the pack was headed towards a frenzy.

Deucalion looked up at Maia as she closed her eyes and howled at the moon, growling deep within his chest. "I would ease myself, brother. You cannot have her – she is mated," Kali whispered as she turned her back on the Alphamega, gripping his shoulder. Her pack mate bared his teeth at her, his eyes a bright, burning scarlet, "Should I take you tonight then?"

"Oh, of course not. You are much too tame for my tastes, sweetheart."

Maia kissed her husband's neck and chest as she started to feel her wolf rearing up inside of her, almost breathless with anticipation. "I have never been more in need of a full moon with you than I am tonight," she whispered, her heated flesh brushing and sliding deliciously against his. Derek, however, was in no mood with the burning haze washing over his eyes and he turned away from her, the Alpha male trying to ignore his more basic instincts. "You should enjoy your night with the pack, Mai – I want to be alone tonight," he relied quietly, his voice uncharacteristically calm. She stepped back just enough to question him, but was caught in the pull of the moon, Maia letting out a bellow that put even Boyd to shame.

Derek followed after her, his wolf falling from its hind legs to all fours, the massive beast shaking his fur out and blowing a huff of air at Maia. She bumped her snout against his jaw and he snapped at her just close enough to make her pull away, the white wolf ignoring the howling and snarling going on behind her.

His wolf was much larger than it had been during the last full moon – due to being this very unique wolf's mate and basking in her power – but he still was not as large as her, Derek eyeing his wife before taking a step back. She stayed where she was before he turned and started off into the woods, Maia making to follow after him with an insistent bark. Derek's head snapped around and he growled, baring his teeth at her and watching her eyes narrow. He took off into the forest then and Maia stood to her full height before racing after him, heavy paws like thunder against the hard packed dirt.

The trees blurred into a solid wall of black on either side of Maia, and it was easy to dodge the ones in her way, leaping over fallen trunks as if she were flying. She took in the sensation of her muscles bunching and releasing, her wolf falling into a rhythm as she raced after her mate.

Maia kept calling out to Derek, his wolf silent and quick, turning as she heard someone join her. It was Deucalion, the male coming up alongside her left flank quickly. She looked back at him as if to ask why he was there, just as they barreled through the trees. Neither of them was prepared for the forest to suddenly turn into a cliff face, Deucalion digging his claws in to keep from flying out into the ravine. His pack mate was not so lucky however, Maia barking as she slid over the edge, her paws clambering for purchase.

Derek turned as he heard her whine in distress, seeing Deucalion torn between helping Maia and chasing after him. They both knew what he was doing now – Derek was breaking away from the pack, running into the darkness and away from his mate. Maia cried out again and attempted to pull herself up, her white eyes affixed on her husband, her hind paws trying to find some purchase on the rocks.

He gave her one last mournful look before disappearing over the ridge and into the night, Deucalion lowering his head to drag the Alphamega back onto solid ground by her scruff.

"Are you okay," Deucalion questioned when she had phased, bending down to wrap his hand around her shoulder. Maia reached up to grasp his fingers, staring down at the dirt; she knew why Derek had run and it was something he needed, but with the pack laws, it was a virtual death sentence.

Her companion seemed to know what she was thinking, stroking her hair and sighing, "We should go after him before Derek has a chance to get too far-"

"We are not killing him Deucalion."

"Look Maia, this was your rule – your law! And you made damn sure we enforced it," he said before he found himself on his back, his Alpha's hand around his throat. Maia ground him into the dirt for emphasis, her teeth bared and her eyes a blinding white, "This is different: Derek is not leaving the pack and he is not leaving me. You know how difficult it was to go from an Alpha to a de facto Beta underneath me and he is dealing with the same thing – we will give him his time and his space. He will come back."

He growled and threw her off of him, standing erect as they faced off. "I have given blood for you, taken lives for you, followed you blindly-"

"Its what you are supposed to do, Deucalion. You are meant to follow me: my word is law."

* * *

"I need you to track him down and bring him back Peter."

Maia and Peter stood in the backyard, staring up at the sky that was empty save for a few twinkling stars. She had her hands tucked into her back pockets, Peter watching as she threw her head back and shook out her curls.

"They want to kill him, don't they," he questioned, sighing when her eyes moved to meet his. "They would not be the first to want to cull the little-"

"Mind your words, love. That's still my husband you're talking about," Maia warned, even though her voice was light and nowhere near threatening in tone.

Peter crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, knowing that he would do as she asked. "I'll do what I can – find him and follow closely enough not to lose him, but not closely enough that he'll… eat me. I know that your campaign starts tomorrow; when will you be sworn in?" Maia smiled at his blind faith in her abilities and moved to lean against his shoulder, closing her eyes, "If I win, then about eight weeks from now. Six weeks to campaign and generate interest and votes, a full week for the constituents to cast their votes, and another week to count them all and prepare for the swearing in. I want him back by then; can you do that for me?"

"I will try."

She smirked and nodded, knowing that he had his hands full with Derek. "And I guess that's all I can ask for."


	3. To Return

_We grow weary of this…_

Derek's long-spoken words rang true in Maia's ears as she stood in her bathroom, the Alphamega needing to clear her head. Soft, undoubtedly feminine hands were pressed on either side of the sink basin, her fingers tending and relaxing almost rhythmically as she tried not to think about the pads of her paws aching from all the running she had been doing as of late.

The woman's head hung down, her tousled hair creating a curtain around her face, still wet from her shower. The sound of small drops of water rolling down her body and falling to the marble helped her pass the time, Maia knowing exactly how long she had been waiting there, legs crossed, back slightly arched, shoulders raised: two hours, thirty-seven minutes, twenty-nine seconds and counting.

There was a knock on her bedroom door and she looked up into the eyes of her own reflection, searching her features for any sign of change. Maia could not spot one difference, even though there had been many changes in her life over the past month and a half.

"Mrs. Mayor? You need to get some sleep- you're being sworn in in less than ten hours."

She straightened up and moved to climb into bed even as she heard the others moving downstairs, the house busy being cleaned for when the photographer would come after the festivities of the coming day. The election was long past and she had won by a landslide- the only thing that was missing in all of it was Derek.

Maia laid with her face buried in her husband's pillow, her eyes closed as she inhaled the remnants his scent. It was her job to stay in control, to sit in the position of power… but without her husband, she felt utterly powerless. The passing days without him felt like torture and she knew that every time her eyes met Deucalion's that he was waiting for her order to hunt down Derek… and the now missing Peter. It had been weeks since she had sent him after his nephew and the rest of the pack was itching to hunt them both down… and Maia had finally agreed, once the sun set tomorrow.

Leaving the pack was not an option.

She found it hard to accept that he might have been pushed just far enough to give up, that she had finally driven him away with the insanity of her life. She knew he felt like she had used him – and she had. That she had lied to him – and again, she had – but what he refused to see was that she had had no choice; Maia would do anything for Derek, even if that meant destroying their marriage, their relationship, their bond, to keep him alive.

Maia looked out of the window in her bedroom, staring out over the sleeping city, "Come on Derek, come on… I did not fight this hard, just to lose you again."

* * *

Derek was running.

He wasn't sure how long it had been since he had left the pack – time seemed to move differently when he was fully phased – and he still wasn't sure what was right or wrong anymore in the world. It wasn't completely black or white like it had once been, clear and simple to understand, just a thousand shades of gray.

The Alpha turned as he heard heavy footfalls behind him, growling at the wolf that had been following him. It had never gotten close enough for him to catch a scent, staying just far enough behind to keep up without provoking him. But now the wolf was gaining, calling out to him for the first time in their time together with three long howls – it was Peter.

He was upright and on two feet when his uncle reached him, the older werewolf somersaulting through the air and landing on his hind legs. Derek watched as he phased, Peter catching his breath before speaking, "God, I must really be getting old – that little work out of yours left me winded."

"No one asked you to follow me."

"Actually, your mate did. Otherwise, I would have given up after the first week and spent the other six at home with the beautiful women in my pack, having a good time with my new family," Peter replied sarcastically, moving to lean against a nearby tree. "She's worried about you."

Derek's eyes flashed when he thought about his wife and what was waiting for him back in Beacon Hills, attempting to keep cool even as his wolf reared up inside of him. "Go home Peter. Now."

"I can't – not unless you come back with me. Or else I have to face a very angry wife and an even angrier Alphamega." The Alpha male scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, stubborn and set in his resolve, "Give me one good reason why I should go back."

"You don't have a choice."

Peter looked up into the red eyes he knew as well as his own, sighing. He knew that Derek wasn't thinking rationally, the older male reaching out to touch his nephew. "She sent me after you… And I have to bring you back alive, Derek or Deucalion will kill you and take your head back to her. Its been too long and if you want to stay alive, we need to return to the pack. Now," he said seriously, Derek giving him a warning growl. "Maybe her threats scared you, but they don't fucking scare me!" Peter barked fiercely and narrowed his eyes impatient, "They should scare you! Derek, you don't know who or what she is- or what she's capable of! She will kill you if she has to and if you try and force her hand, she'll have to. It's the law of the pack!"

The men stared at each other for a moment before Derek shook his head, swallowing. "I can't go back Peter, not to… bowing down to her. Maia's my wife- we took vows to be equals," he spat angrily, seeing a flash of compassion in his pack mate's eyes. Peter gripped his nephew's forearm, looking at him evenly in the eyes and inhaling deeply.

"What's done is done, Derek. And you have to let whatever future you thought you were going to have with her… go. Its gone and now its time to face this very new, very strange world we live in. Besides, she's being sworn in as mayor in the morning, I think. You shouldn't miss that."

"We'll go back," Derek agreed through his teeth, turning back east. "But she made me promise, no matter what that we'd be together. That we'd have our future… and I'm not giving that up. Not again."


	4. The Only One

With a flourish, Maia stepped out of her limousine at Town Hall, smiling widely for the flashing cameras as she waved.

The streets were lined with people, all cheering and waving flags for the newly appointed Mayor – in their eyes, she could have damn well been the President.

She was clad in a fitted black blazer with a sheer nude top underneath, her deep purple pencil skirt stretching tightly over her wide hips and muscular thighs. Maia posed for a few pictures before moving inside where she would sworn in officially, sensing Deucalion and her young pack not far behind her.

"Do you Madame Mayor, solemnly swear to hold this office in all regalities…"

Derek and Peter made their way through the crowd in front of Town Hall, the Alpha male feeling the presence of his pack mates, even if he couldn't see them or pick them out in the celebrating mass of people. "Damn. She's already been sworn in, but it sounds like she just started her speech," Peter said almost impatiently, dragging a hand over his newly shaven face. It felt strange for both of them to be back in civilian clothing after so long in only their wolf hides, Derek trying to shake off his wolf and stand firmly on two legs.

"And so I promise you now that this is the beginning – change is coming. Its change for the better, for all of us, men, women, children, the elderly and the young, the able-bodied and the invalid. It was my mission to bring something… more to this great city in which we live and tomorrow-"

Maia's eyes fell on Derek as he pushed to the front of the crowd, her voice faltering, "Tomorrow is a new day. A better day."

The crowd burst into applause and she moved from the podium down to where her husband stood. Derek could feel all eyes on the two of them, but as much as he hated the attention, he just really needed to have her in his arms. "You're home." He felt the foreign sense of detachment spring up between them even as he reached out to cup her cheek in his hand. Derek realized exactly how beautiful she was, as if he had never truly understood it before, even when she had been standing right before him. Maia's loose waves cascaded around her face, her eyes glowing against the background of her dark skin. There was a fire in her eyes that went unrivaled by anything he had ever seen, his wife moving to wrap stone-like arms around him, burying her face in his chest, "Derek."

She didn't care if he was angry or upset with her- he was still there and that was all that mattered. Her hands curled on his back to press him closer and Derek froze for a moment before running a hand down her curls; things had changed, but she still felt like his wife… they still felt exactly like themselves.

"Do not think that I have forgotten that you let me fall over a cliff and walked away."

Whatever Derek had planned on saying died on his lips as Maia pulled back after a moment, inhaling deeply and looking up at him. She stroked his face lovingly before standing on the tips of her toes to kiss his forehead, sighing quietly, "I missed you so much."

"Let's go home," he murmured, seeing her half-smile.

"Okay."

* * *

Maia moved around her dinner party in a classic black sheath, making sure to smile often so her pictures would be warm and inviting as the photographers captured the first few moments of her term for the countless spreads being done on her. She had become a minor celebrity and although the notoriety made it somewhat difficult for her to go unseen when she wanted to, she took it all in stride.

The most senior members of the pack and those who had worked on Maia's campaign were having dinner, laughing and celebrating. However, Derek hung back away from the others, preferring to sit in his armchair with a glass of scotch he refused to let go dry.

"Hey."

Peter came out of the kitchen, moving to sit across from his nephew and crossing his legs. "So, I found out where the rest of the pack is. She's placed them here and there outside of town until they can be slowly introduced to the community. Less suspicious that way," he murmured, reaching over to the small coffee table to pour himself a drink. "However, most of the younger ones are at Hale House. She's keeping them close."

The Alpha nodded before looking upstairs, sighing, "The kids should be down here celebrating."

"She doesn't want to put them on the front page of the newspaper and have too many eyes on them. Not with… well, it doesn't much matter," Peter replied, Derek draining his glass before pouring another.

Both males moved to look up as Maia stood in the doorway, Peter standing and clearing his throat. "I think I'm going to go have a cigar on the patio. Excuse me…" Derek averted his eyes to the glass in his hand before his wife sat down on his knee with ease, running a careful hand through his newly cut hair. "You took a little more off of the top than I'm used to," she murmured quietly, her husband reaching up to grab her hand. He kissed her fingertips before placing it back in her lap, looking up at her.

Maia wasn't sure what she saw in his eyes, but she knew that she did not like it, swallowing. "Please Derek… don't hate me," she whispered lowly enough that the other wolves would have a very difficult time hearing, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ears. When he didn't respond – either to deny or confirm her worst fears – Maia started to worry with her bottom lip, the Alpha male placing his glass down and sighing.

"Because I hate… _her_," Maia continued without letting her voice waver, Derek knowing immediately that she was talking about her wolf. "And I know that somewhere, deep down inside them all, they hate her too. You are the only one who could ever love what I am, what she is, what we have become."

He moved to grab her hands in his, shaking his head – her words were so intensely wrong and she didn't even know it.

"I need to talk to you – but without all of… them. Please," Derek murmured, seeing his mate nod and smile.

"You up for taking a few pictures?"

When the humans had left, Maia kissed Derek once and asked him to come up once she had had a chance to shower, disappearing upstairs. He started cleaning up, moving into the kitchen to find the other Alphas and their Betas still there, feeling their eyes fall on him. Derek bit back a growl, unable to fight off the rising of his hackles when Deucalion spoke to him, "Welcome home Derek."

"Thank you," he replied curtly before looking at the clock. "Its getting late…"

"The others will be gone soon," Deucalion said in a nonchalant tone, his eyes glittering with challenge. Maia's mate bared his teeth and set his glasses down in the sink, his words forced, "And yourself, brother?" The older Alpha feigned confusion, looking at Derek and shaking his head. "Maia must have neglected to mention that I live here now. As her Beta, in a sense, she wanted to keep me… close."

Derek knew that it would be frowned upon for him to attack a pack mate- however tenuous those ties were- and Maia would have his hide for such a thing. Deucalion looked at his stance and his eyes started to glow around the edges; Derek would be no match for him. "You know, you're coming into a very powerful alliance – Maia and I rule this pack. Together. And mate or not, I won't let you come between that-"

The dark-haired male scoffed and shook his head as he turned back to the sink, knowing that his very presence bothered Deucalion. "Ah, so the truth finally comes out: you're threatened by me. As you should be," Derek replied quietly, smirking at the warning growl he received. Deucalion took a step towards him, his teeth bared, "She would kill you as quickly as she would a deer – rip into you and not think twice about it. Whatever you thought about pack bonds and mentality, you can throw out of the fucking window, Derek! Your wife is like nothing you've ever seen!"

"That's right, mutt, my wife," Derek growled menacingly, reinforcing the words forcefully. "Mine. And I could give a fuck what she is."

There was a quick movement of feet before Maia appeared at the foot of the stairs, her robe cut conservatively at her knee and her hair piled on top of her head in a wet bun. She looked at Derek and Deucalion evenly, the latter inclining his head to her respectively in a reflex reaction, "We meet again, Mayor Hale. I hope we didn't disturb your shower."

"No, of course you didn't," she replied firmly, her hand on her hip. "But I do think it is time that all guests have taken their leave – and I think it is best if you stay with Kali tonight Deucalion."

He started to protest but her steadily lightening eyes forced him into silence, the male glaring at her with nostrils flared. "Of course, Maia. I will see you in the morning." Red eyes glittered with a barely hidden rage as she moved to stand beside her husband, the Alphamega silently challenging her pack mate.

Derek almost questioned her before watching Deucalion storm out of the front door and slam it behind him, the male watching the others leave as he smiled to himself.

He then turned around to look at his wife, Maia's muscular arms folded across her chest and her eyes slightly narrowed. "Has anyone ever told you to just let sleeping dogs lie? I need you to stop teasing that ass of a werewolf Deucalion and dangling our marriage in front of him like a cape in front of a bull. You're not making yourself any friends and the two of you are only causing me problems-" Derek moved to kiss her, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist and pressing his forehead to hers. "Can we just not argue tonight, Maia? Let's argue in the morning…"

"No, let's argue now," she replied insistently, pulling away from his mouth and bracing her hands against his chest. "I want to talk about the cliff you led me out to and let me fall over and walked away from as I was clawing at the rock."

"Alright, then after that, we can talk about why you offered me up like a sacrificial lamb to Peter and used my blood to help strengthen your position as pack leader without so much as blinking on your part."

Maia paused for a moment before rolling her lips against one another and nodding, moving to wrap her legs around her husband's waist, "You're right baby, we'll argue in the morning. Take me upstairs."

"I can do that."


	5. Domesticated Creatures

"Mmhm."

Derek stirred and woke completely out of his sleep to Maia kissing his shoulders lightly, casting a heavily-lidded glance back at her.

She was wrapped around him, her leg thrown over his hip from behind and a strong arm encircling his chest. "Good morning, my little spoon," she smiled warmly, pressing a kiss to the side of his neck.

"You seem to be in a good mood," Derek replied with a yawn, closing his eyes once more.

"You're home; I'm happy."

He let out a heavy breath and buried his face in his pillow, grumbling at her, "You know, I'm still mad at you big spoon. The least you could do is make breakfast before we argue." Knowing he was chiding her –Derek was alright, for now at least –Maia growled and bit his arm gently, the bigger male yelping.

Maia laughed and climbed out of bed, shaking her head as he turned to jump on her. "Come on – get out of bed and get dressed, you lazy best of a man. We always have Sunday morning dinner at Kali's, followed by a little training. The kids are raring to go," she said knowingly, her eyes shifting to the door as she heard a loud thud followed by Erica's laughter.

As she got dressed, Derek went down the hall to see his pack, standing in Isaac's doorway.

"Hey dad," Erica said lightly as all of them looked him over, the female sitting on top of Boyd as he did push-ups. He smirked and acknowledged them all in turn, his eyes finally falling on the oldest of their brood. Isaac eyed him warily and folded his arms across his chest, not once to mince words, "Where'd you go?"

Derek shrugged, not really wanting to talk about his months in the wilderness. "Here and there – nowhere, honestly. I just needed time to clear my head… things got complicated," the Alpha male replied quietly, reaching up to run a hand back through his hair. Isaac was defensive then, standing up and moving to stand in front of Derek. "Things got complicated for us all and when we needed you most, you weren't there. The others kept trying to cull us or whatever because we didn't have an Alpha to follow! And Maia-"

"Isaac," Erica spoke sharply, Boyd standing to tower over her. "Be quiet."

Red eyes searched their faces, knowing that something was being kept from him and nodding. "I won't force you to tell me anything because I know Maia wouldn't like that very much, but if there is something going on that is going to endanger your lives or mine, I would really hope you'd tell me," Derek said, his voice soft but firm.

"Maia will tell you when she's ready," Boyd said simply without revealing anything to his Alpha, taking Erica's hand and leading her out of the room.

"You hurt her, you know," Isaac said as he moved to follow after his pack mates, pausing to talk down in Derek's ear. "She cried for days, wouldn't eat and wouldn't sleep – you forced her to start planning your death, big dog. Your wife is a lot more fragile than you're willing to see, but she's also a lot stronger than you give her credit for: don't push her. She'll push back"

Isaac turned his back on Derek, exposing two long, jagged scars on the back of his neck that disappeared below his collar. The Alpha knew that the only scars a wolf would show were those inflicted by another Alpha, one who meant to mark its victim and send a message to others.

And the only wolf who could do that to a protected fledging- could harm Isaac- was Maia herself...

* * *

Maia looked over at Derek as she drove the new family truck, seeing his tense posture in the passenger seat. He took in his surroundings, the town just a few miles over from Beacon Hills much smaller and homey –well, it would have appeared so to them, had he not know what was lurking in their limits.

"I'm warning you now that you're going to have to be firm with Deucalion –he is very stubborn and you're new to the pack… He's going to keeping giving you a hard time," she murmured with concern, running a hand back through her curls.

"And if he challenges me?"

She gave him a stern look before pulling up to a large, old Colonial-style home, parking and taking off her seatbelt. Maia sighed and looked at Derek again, "Listen: like I said last night, I cannot have you at odds with them babe. They are my family – they were there when you weren't – and so you have to at least try to be civil. Can you do that?"

Derek opened the door without answering, the kids following suit and starting up the stairs loudly, entering the house unannounced to a roar of laughter and welcome. He instead waited for his wife, noticing that she moved more slowly than what he knew she was capable of, taking her hand and moving towards the porch. He was willing to relieve the hollow tension that had formed in his absence between the two of them and the pack as well, Maia pushing open the front door.

Small groups of people were placed throughout the bottom floor of the house, most smiling and speaking to Maia before giving Derek a nod of acknowledgement – they might not have liked him or been comfortable with him yet and especially after his departure from the pack, but they knew respect and as the mate of their Alphamega: he had earned it.

His wife gave him a quick squeeze of reassurance before dropping his hand, taking off her jacket and throwing it to a young pack member when he offered to hang it up.

In all truth, they seemed like normal werewolves, both young and old –there were at least five children under the age of ten and a few wolves pushing fifty – Maia's pack appearing well-cared for, content and happy. The atmosphere reminded Derek of how his childhood home had been, the Alpha male moving through the women in the kitchen to the back porch.

There was a snarl and a massive pile of black and grey fur burst out from the forest, coming to a pseudo-stop at the foot of the back stairs even as the two wolves continued to fight each other.

Maia looked out the back window at where Derek was watching Ennis and Deucalion spar, letting out a sigh. Kali glanced at the Alphamega, looking as much like Maia as one could- they had been mistaken for sisters quite often and it was mostly because of the shared warmth in their eyes.

"So he's back," Kali murmured pointedly, seeing her closest friend nod wordlessly. "Kinda sucks – we'll miss having you at the bottom of the dog piles, but I'm happy for you."

"He's an asshole," Maia replied humorlessly, shaking her head and sighing again. "But he's mine."

The women began making massive quantities of food for their Sunday morning brunch, having to chase away the others from the stove repeatedly. Everyone knew the hierarchy of the pack when it came to mealtimes together – the Alphas always first, then the Betas, then the older ones, the younger members and finally Maia herself. She always wanted to make sure everyone had enough to eat before taking care of herself, something that humbled the other wolves every time they joined her for a meal.

Derek looked up as a car door slammed shut from the side of the house, hearing McCall shout for his pack mates. The young wolf eventually found his way to where his Alpha was, the older male surprised to see Jackson with him. "Derek. Nice to have you home," Scott said quietly, clapping the Alpha's shoulder before taking a seat beside him. Jackson only jerked his chin at Derek before turning his attention to his phone, obviously uncomfortable with being around them.

"How have you been holding up Scott," Derek questioned quietly, the young wolf shrugging.

"Everything's changed… but it doesn't feel like it, like this is the way its been all along."

A few minutes later they called for people to start getting ready for brunch, women moving to lay blankets out on the lawn as the two werewolves finally ended their bout and shifted back, Deucalion panting with a self-satisfied smile. He moved to grab a pair of jeans that had lain discarded on the porch, looking at Derek and smirking. "How'd you enjoy the show," he asked lightly, the younger Alpha forcing himself to stay semi-polite. "You fight dirty – had it not been for you throwing dirt in Ennis' eyes, he would have had you twenty minutes ago," Derek spoke with all the calm he could muster – he wanted to rip out his throat and be done with the aggravation Deucalion loved to cause. "Well, not all of us can be such upstanding citizens Derek- you have to fight to survive in this world. And Maia won't always be around to protect you…"

Derek stood and suddenly, another Alpha was standing between him, looking much younger than what his eyes gave away. "I would hope the two of you weren't planning to fight just yet – our women have been very generous in making us a meal and I know none of them would take too kindly to having this day go awry before we have eaten. Wouldn't you agree, brother," he asked lightly, Derek looking over his shoulder at the first Alpha's identical twin. "I would – who knows what Mommy Dearest would have me do..." Deucalion bared his teeth at Derek before letting the gesture fall into a smile, taking a step back, "Of course we still have manners Ethan; we're going to… spar after breakfast, right Derek?"

The male stared the other down until he walked away, the one named Ethan shaking his head and sighing. "Come inside and wash up Derek – we get to eat first," he said, starting into the house before looking back at his brother again. "Aiden, see is Ennis is willing to eat at the table."

"Willing," Derek questioned curiously, Ethan smirking at his ignorance.

"Ennis very seldom agrees to act like a human- he would rather be a wolf. And before you ask, no, he isn't a danger to us or our secret. Maia has made sure he has been very well trained…"

When Derek sat down at the dining room table with the other Alphas he received a multitude of looks his way – a glare from Deucalion, a inquisitive glance from Kali, a half-smile from Ethan, a smirk from Aiden and a narrowing of the eyes from Ennis as he sat on his haunches in the corner. "So, what do you think of the pack, Derek," Kali asked as she sipped at a very full goblet of wine. Derek swallowed the mouth of eggs he had and nodded, looking out of the dining room window to the many wolves outside enjoying the morning, "I think it's a force to be reckoned with."

"You mean, we're a force to be reckoned with," Ethan corrected with a smile. "You're one of us now."

Derek didn't reply before pouring himself a glass of wine and downing it, looking at Deucalion over the rim.

Maia finally joined them with a plate full of food, falling into her chair between Kali and Derek with a sound of contentment. "How's the food boys," she questioned inquisitively, reaching out towards the drinks on the table. They all spoke of their enjoyment and Derek moved to pour her a glass of wine, Maia shaking her head vehemently. "No baby, I'll just have water." Derek was too busy replacing the wine bottle on the table and grabbing the pitcher of water for his wife to see Maia and Kali exchange a knowing glance, the two women smiling when he had finally turned back to look at them.

A quiet silence filled the room other than the sound of cutlery against the plates and Ennis ripping his steak to shreds, Derek feeling as if everyone was talking about him without saying any words. The Alphas' eyes flashed quickly between their respective plates and Derek, before meeting Maia's gaze.

"So nice weather we've been having, wouldn't you say Maia," Deucalion asked unobtrusively, his voice smooth and pleasant even with a deliberate hint of venom. "Some of the young ones have been expressing their interest in initiation – namely, your young Isaac. It seems he wants to solidify his dedication to the pack, and to you."

Derek was curious, looking at Maia and setting his fork down, "Initiation?"

"It's a… ritual we took up when we started recruiting for the pack, how we've started to prepare the pack for the next generation. We're always going to need Alphas, and with this, we basically have a gladiator fight to see who is worthy of such a title. Whoever wins, I give them… my blessing and then we have a celebration, bonfire and all that shit," Maia explained, seeming to edit her words for Derek's comfort. She then looked at Deucalion, her tone biting, "But after the last incident, I told you we were done with initiation for a while. Give everyone a fair chance to be trained properly."

The open, burning glare she gave him let Derek know that there was quite a bit of bad blood between them – at least when it came to this initiation business – Deucalion lifting his glass and shrugging. "Your people speak, my Queen," he replied rather rudely, receiving a growl of disapproval from Ennis. Maia quieted him before looking at Ethan and jerking her chin towards Deucalion's cup, "I believe he has had quite enough wine today."

"Let him drink," Derek said as everyone turned to the sound of his voice- it was obvious that no one other than Deucalion challenged Maia and the rebellious wolf smiled. "Yes, let me drink." Derek smirked and shook his head, "Only because we have a sparring match later. Enjoy yourself now."

The conniving older wolf's smile faltered and he pushed away his glass, eyeing Derek.

"Well, on that note, I think I'm cutting myself off."

"Ah, a sense of judgment from the sour wolf, finally," Kali said with a laugh, shaking her head and standing to clear the table. The other wolves smiled and agreed, Deucalion not amused, "Forgive me for taking the… trifle things lightly." Maia shook her head and continued to goad him, pulling her cardigan across her. "You do not take things lightly, brother. Everything seems to be life and death with you –you're always so serious…"

Deucalion stood and looked at Derek, smirking. "And forgive me again for knowing what is right and what is wrong when it comes to making decisions in this pack," he murmured pointedly, Ennis letting out a grisly snarl as he took to all fours. Ethan started to talk before Maia stood as well, looking at Deucalion without fear, "Do you want to take this conversation outside, brother?"

Everything was quiet as Deucalion searched Maia's eyes, looking for any hint of teasing before he nodded.

"Hell yeah."

There were loud wolf-whistles as the two wolves moved to go outside, Maia pulling off her cardigan and kicking off her tennis shoes. "Everybody back up," she shouted before turning on Deucalion as he stood on the porch, baring her dagger-like teeth. "We're about to have some fun."

Deucalion phased as he jumped off of the porch, leaping towards Maia with jaws snaing. She refused to let her wolf answer his challenge, running at her pack mate and arching over him as he moved to tackle her. Maia landed lithely on her feet as he turned on her again, digging his claws into the dirt and growling at her. She grinned and sailed into Deucalion, wrapping herself around his midsection and bringing him to the ground. There were cheers from the other wolves as she pulled him in a headlock, the wolf snarling as he struggled to free himself from her ironclad hold. And then Deucalion head-butted her, Maia flying back through the air before landing in the dirt. She got back up to her feet and glared at Deucalion, preparing to phase before Derek appeared at her side, a streak of silver fur along the left side of his body – he had been more stressed than she had thought he would be with the changes in their life, and the graying of his hair gave that away. He gave her a look that clearly said, "Let me," before turning on Deucalion and snarling.

Maia moved out of the way and got back up to the porch, seeing Kali's fierce red eyes.

"Don't start," Maia said through her teeth as she brushed dirt off of her clothes and looked at Derek and Deucalion as they tore into each other: Derek was undoubtedly less trained, but he was holding his own.

"You know, we have to do something about our less good mannered and well-behaved… brother; I told you from the start he was not going to let this whole Derek thing just go," Kali murmured as she tossed her hair over her shoulder, folding her arms over her chest and sighing. The shorter woman nodded and agreed, exhaling quietly, "Deucalion knows very well that he's not my first-in-command, but that doesn't keep him from acting like it. He's a spoiled, pompous ass-" Kali laughed humorlessly and shook her head, watching the two men continue to fight, teeth and claws clashing. "Only because you made him so… It was the attention, the sex, your smile that did it. You're a coveted prize Maia Hale and there aren't many people, myself included, who wouldn't fight to the death to have you. Deucalion did: he had you for seven months and he lost you-" Maia looked up at her, cocking her head and folding her arms over her chest. "I was never his to lose."

Kali sighed and looked at Deucalion as he and Derek finally broke apart, shaking her head, "You tell him that…"

Later that night Maia cared for Derek's wounds, sighing as he watched her work. "How did it feel, Derek," Maia asked quietly, hearing her husband chuckle. She looked up at him, her eyes lingering on his split lip for a moment, "It felt… good. I haven't quite put that son of a bitch in his place yet, but I proved a point today. He knows I won't back down from a fucking challenge."

"Well, you proving a fucking point cost you two ribs, a finger, a pretty nice gash on your thigh, a black eye and this," she replied lovingly, moving to kiss his battered mouth. Derek smiled and threaded his fingers through her curls, feeling Maia raise up to straddle his lap. "Well, if you're going to help me lick my wounds like this, I just might have to start getting into fights more often…"

Derek pulled her underneath him and sighed contentedly, stroking her hair back, "You know, you're a great wife Maia – a great partner. I know I give you a hard time and that I can be a stubborn asshole more often than not, but… I just want you to know that things are changing, finally, for the better. I felt that today, seeing the pack and knowing what we were capable of. Everyone is safe, secure and happy, and that's all I've ever wanted for us babe… Thank you for this. We needed this."

"We didn't need this," Maia corrected, stroking his face and smiling. "We needed each other."

"We have each other."

She smiled brilliantly before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a kiss, "And I need you now…"


	6. Making Moves, Following Orders

"We have arrived Mayor Hale," her driver said, turning around to look at her.

She seemed rather distracted for a woman on her first few days on the job, the man getting out to open the door for her. Maia looked up from her phone and stepped out of the city car, smiling, "Thank you."

Maia quickly ascended the stairs into City Hall and was joined by her assistant, the young woman coming to her with a fresh cup of coffee and a rather thick binder full of work to be done. "Good morning Mrs. Hale," the assistant said rather cheerfully, taking Maia's coat and purse as they exchanged their light burdens.

"Good morning to you Katherine. So how is the Governor's seat looking for us," Maia questioned lightly as she opened her office and prepared for her day, flinging the curtains open to stare out at the morning.

"Oh, we're just polishing it for you now, ma'am.

Over the course of the morning Maia threw herself into her work, making endless phone calls and having several meetings with high-powered attorneys and talking with new campaign managers for her next bid – that of California Governor.

Maia finally took a break and stood up from her desk to look out over Beacon Hills, "Hmm, with a two-year wait, I could run for fucking President. Well, after we get through shit at home…"

There was a knock on her door and she looked over her shoulder as Katherine popped her head into the office, smiling kindly. "Excuse me, you have a visitor Mrs. Hale. I think you should see him." Maia turned and smiled widely at Derek as he walked into the room with a stack of takeout boxes in his hands. "Hey, thought I'd be a Stepford Wife and bring you lunch, since I forgot to pack it and all," he said warmly as he teased her, moving to kiss her with a half-smile. She took her husband's face in her hands and looked at him happily, pressing her lips to his twice, "Hey, don't beat yourself up about it – you're a good wife, honey."

"Do you need anything else, Mrs. Hale," Katherine questioned as she watched them pull away from each other and Derek make himself at home. Maia moved to her desk and picked up a large manila folder, holding it out to Katherine, "I need you to take these down to the Board of Directors – they are the proposals for the new park and housing development, so I need you to call me as soon as they have them in their hands. As well Katherine, I need you to call Kent from Fitzgerald and Associates to remind him to have a long, hard look at the finances in the city government. I want to make sure everything is in line before we start sinking the people's money into big projects, alright? We don't need to go broke so early into term…"

Katherine nodded and Derek was impressed by how together Maia was, the assistant excusing herself from their presence, "I'm on it ma'am. Oh, and I'll tell everyone not to disturb you during your lunch."

"Thank you Kat."

Maia finally turned to look at Derek, seeing him smiling at her with eyes fixed on her face, "What?"

"Nothing, you just look very… fulfilled with this and I have no idea why," he replied with a shrug, holding out a Styrofoam container to her. "Here, eat up – steaks."

Maia moved to sit beside him on the arm of his chair and he gave her another generous once-over, taking in her tight nude pencil skirt and electric blue peplum top. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked away from her, knowing that with the full moon approaching they could really do some damage that this office wasn't prepared for. "So this is what you do all day, Mai? Sit in a crappy office and talk politics," Derek teased to take his mind off of her, Maia seeing how playful his crystal blue eyes were. She then laughed and shook her head as she started to eat her lunch, her stomach growling quietly in anticipation, "My office is amazing babe and I don't talk politics – I talk change. I'm making things better socially in Beacon Hills, preparing it for the pack; this should be a place to grow and prosper, to… raise a family. And now that we don't have to deal with the hunters and the fucking Kanima-"

"Do we have any information on Gerard and his disappearance?"

"Unfortunately not," Maia said scathingly, crossing her legs and baring her teeth. "The old man was more wily than I first thought…"

Derek sighed and reached out to rub her knee, feeling how unusually warm she was, "Don't worry about it; I doubt he has the stones to show his face in Beacon Hills again." Maia felt his fingers splaying out across her leg and the room suddenly felt much smaller than she remembered, swallowing as she turned on him. "Hey, Derek." He looked up from his lunch at his wife, her large green eyes searching his as he wondered what she was up to.

"Honey, please tell me you've always had a fantasy of being a big shot politician and screwing your secretary on your desk," Maia murmured pointedly, her husband cocking his head and staring at her. "No… but I'll tell you any way." She growled and drug him to his feet by his collar, Derek picking her up around his waist with ease. He carried her around to the other side of the desk and cleared it off with a swipe of his arm, pushing her skirt up around her hips.

Maia tilted her head back as he dragged his teeth down her throat, letting out a quiet gasp. She pressed herself into Derek and wrapped her arms around him, the male moving to kiss her. He ran his fingers through her silken curls, holding her even closer against him as their gentle kissing began to deepen. "Jesus Maia, you're on fire," Derek said as she ran her hands underneath his shirt, dragging her nails down his stomach.

"Then throw yourself in the fire and be consumed, love-"

There was another knock on the door and the two broke apart, Maia's shallow breathing the only sound that filled the room. They shared a brief look before Maia found her voice, clearing her throat, "What is it?"

"You have a conference call from one your campaign managers," a quiet voice said, Maia brushing a few strands of hair back from Derek's forehead. He kissed her and pulled away from her, smiling half-heartedly as he pulled her skirt down. "Give me a minute to finish… my lunch."

"I'll have them hold ma'am."

Maia looked at her husband and sighed, running her fingers through her curls. "So, I get off in a few hours…" Derek kissed her and cleaned up their lunch, nodding, "I'll bring the truck, have a little parking lot nooky-"

"Derek Hale," she said sharply, laughing in disbelief.

"You better be glad I'm even letting you take that phone call, Maia. And you know as well as I do that we're not going to make it home before we're ripping each other's clothes to shreds," Derek replied as he pulled her to him by her waist. She swallowed and looked hotly at his mouth, "Get out Derek, preferably now. I have to work baby."

He smiled and kissed her chastely before leaving her office, the woman taking a much needed breath.

Maia then moved to pick up her phone, looking at the papers strewn across her floor, "Hello, Mayor Hale here…"

* * *

Derek pulled the bedroom door closed behind him as he scratched the back of his neck, moving quietly down the hallway. He turned to look at a long, sinewy sillohute standing in front of one of the windows, pausing.

"Isaac," he murmured, wondering why he was up so late. "You alright?"

"Can't sleep – nightmares."

The Alpha motioned for him to follow, the two making their way downstairs to the kitchen where Derek promptly opened up a bottle of aspirin. Isaac raised an eyebrow at him as he took a seat at the table, leaning forward to rest his weight on his elbows, "Aspirin? Thought that shit didn't work on us…"

"It does when you take enough," Derek replied just before taking nearly half of the bottle, grabbing himself a bottle of water and groaning. He rolled his neck and shoulders as he sat, the younger wolf giving him a knowing smirk. "The big bad give you a rough time," Isaac questioned, Derek narrowing his eyes and folding his arms across his chest. "Why can't you sleep?"

Isaac's eyes flickered towards where he could sense Maia sleeping, the Beta allowing his hands to drop and curl into fists on the table top.

"You've seen my scars, haven't you?" When Derek did not respond, his fledgling continued, unable to meet his eyes. "Things around here were pretty bad after you left – like I said, Deucalion and his followers were attempting to cull us. Mostly, he just took shots at us though: a bite here, a scratch there, a training session gone awry. You know that respect is paramount to survival in the pack… and what happened to get me these scars was caused by me standing up for myself. I remember fighting with Deucalion and he bit down too hard on my hamstring – sliced it clean in half with his teeth. I fell, whimpered like a pup, calling out for an absent Alpha. He moved to take my defeat, you know by locking the jaws around the neck, but for some reason, I couldn't let him do it. Something inside of me refused to let him put me down like that."

"And so you stood, on a torn hamstring, up to an Alpha male… Are you insane?"

Isaac looked up at Derek in a manner that reminded the older male of himself, his eyes dark and defiant, his jaw held taught. "He rose up above me, teeth bared – and he was prepared for the kill. But then Maia came between us; she stood toe to toe with that big bastard, challenging him for me. I thought that I was safe then.

"But I never saw her claws coming."

The two of them were quiet for a moment, Derek letting out a quiet breath before he spoke, his hands folded before him. "You do know why she did it though, made you an example for them all? To keep them from thinking that she favors any of us… to keep order in the pack. You shouldn't have nightmares about – about Maia, because you know that she would do anything for you, that she has done everything necessary and everything she possibly could for you," he replied sincerely, looking at his fledgling and attempting to convey his strongest emotions to him. "Strangely enough, the nightmares I'm having aren't about Maia – there about you Derek."

"Me?"

"You," Isaac said bluntly, his eyes glowing amber as he leaned towards Derek. "Because you abandoned us, even despite your promise that you would never do that! You brought us into this life with a false sense of security and a bunch of promises you never cared to keep – that was my darkest moment and you were not there."

Derek's nostrils flared as his hand griped his glass hard enough to cause it to crack, the Alpha trying to control himself, "I can see now that you are not as willing to take me back as Maia and the others were. But it figures, your loyalty-"

"To Maia is stronger than it could ever be to you."

The two werewolves looked at each other, Derek setting down the fragile glass before standing, smirking coldly at his fledgling. "Did you ever think that I did not know that? You are my Beta because I have to keep you close, because I know that if any of my pack were to kill me on her orders… it would be you," he replied quietly, dragging his nails across the table to where Isaac sat. "So in light of this little revelation of ours, I want you keep your distance from her and myself – wouldn't want me to get any ideas about a coup against my life and take preemptive action on either one of you, now would you? And walk lightly: because I could kill you… just as easily as you could make an unsuccessful attempt on my life without a second thought.

"Sleep well, Isaac."


	7. For Those Who Run

Erica snatched open the door before Kali even had a chance to knock, looking up at the Alpha with a grave expression on her face.

"Please – you're the only person I could think to call."

Kali took off her gloves as she walked through the house, shoving her belongings – gloves, handbag, jacket and shoes – into Boyd's hands, coming to stop in the doorway of the living room. Derek was standing there, clad in a long-sleeved grey shirt and jeans, his hands balled into fists at his side. His eyes were dark and his brow was furrowed, gaze resting on Maia.

She was curled up on the couch, her back facing Kali – Maia did not move or acknowledge anyone's presence, her breathing even and deep, even though she was awake.

"How long has she been like this," the Alpha female asked, moving towards the quiet woman. Derek swallowed before he spoke, his eyes shifting to Kali for only a moment, "Four days… At first, I thought she was just tired – exhausted from running the pack and the city. Maia came in, changed out of her work clothes and came here. Then she stopped talking… then she stopped moving… and she has just laid her. I've done all I can think of to get her up, to break whatever she's in: all she does is lash out, bite and scratch until we back away. What is wrong with her?"

Kali did not answer him, kneeling down between the couch and the coffee table, sighing quietly. She said nothing as well to Maia, simply reaching out to stroke her hair comfortingly.

"Is this about the full moon," Isaac asked, the concern evident in his voice.

"Ask your Alpha what this is about."

The others turned to Derek and he looked at them, searching their eyes. He had no idea of why this would happen to her – how she could go from being so strong to being confined by her own body on the couch.

But then Isaac closed his eyes, turning away from the pack, "There has only been one thing that has ever broken her heart…"

"Joshua."

Derek tasted that bitterness in his mouth, taking a step back from his wife: he should have known. Of all the times he had failed her as a mate and husband, friend and lover, this had to be the most painful. She had been here, mourning as wolf-mothers did over lost cubs… and he hadn't even seen it for what it was.

"She has done this once before, on this very day… a year ago. It is the anniversary of his death, Derek," Kali whispered, trying to comfort her Alpha as best she could. She rested her cheek on the crown of Maia's head, closing her eyes and allowing herself to feel as she did.

"Kali," Derek said forcefully, feeling utterly… powerless without knowing what to do. "Help her."

The woman looked up at him, trying to keep the burning tears from spilling, "I can't – the only person who can help, who has helped her through this once before is Deucalion. Get him and move quickly: the full moon rises in only a few hours."

* * *

The Alpha male stood in the shadows of the darkened living room as Deucalion stepped across the threshold, the predatory werewolf allowing his gaze to fall on Maia.

As hardened and deceitful his face usually looked to Derek, there was no mistaken the softening of his eyes and the setting of his jaw, an acute pain overcoming Deucalion. He did not like it, the male sharing in the mourning of Derek's son as he comforted his wife, but if it would help Maia… he could allow it.

Deucalion took off his shirt, running a hand back through his hair as Derek growled and made to move towards him.

"You can leave your shirt on, Deucalion."

"You can either let me do this as I once did, or you can try and bring her out of this. The choice is yours," the scathing reply came, Kali's nails digging into Derek's shoulder and pulling him back. She tightened her hold on him for moment, standing on the tips of her toes to snarl in his ear, "Let him work, brother."

She hated this darkness, the depression she could never seem to come out of alone. It always came along without her really noticing it, a slightly darkening of the world around the edge of her vision but it wasn't until she felt the growing pain in her chest and womb, that she knew her mourning had not yet ended. Maia lost her hearing and her sight, lost all sensation to the depression – nothing mattered to her in that state, nothing at all…

Deucalion shifted her to accommodate his body on the couch, the lengthy werewolf wrapping himself around her tightly. He rested his hands over hers, burying his face in her curls and inhaling her scent. It had been a long time since he had held her as such, but it was almost as if no time had passed at all, the wolf remembering fondly the first time he had had her in his arms.

However, he did not have time to deal with mundane matters such as want and affection, knowing that having Maia phase in a state where she was not in full control of herself could leave her effectively rabid and dangerous.

"Maia."

He stroked her hair lovingly, pressing gently kisses to her curls and sighing. "There are certain things in life that are meant to change us – certain people that come into our worlds that are meant to mold us. The two of us are not a rare breed, Maia: no, far from it. There are many like us, those who have loved and lost, and lost most gravely…" Deucalion let out a breath as he felt her legs draw up higher against her body, the first sign he had of her awareness. Trying to recall the words that he had spoken to her a year before, he closed his eyes and wracked his brain, holding her tightly, "But despite the things that we have lost – the people that never were and the ones that are now long gone – we cannot afford to lose ourselves. We are the strongest of our kind and we do not give into this darkness, especially not tonight! The darkness belongs to us-"

"Maia," Derek said, moving towards the couch even as Deucalion growled at him. The older Alpha wrapped his hand around Maia's throat, his grasp tight, "Back off – she is not all together yet and you could say just the right thing to set her off. Could you control that big bitch that is her wolf?"

"She is already a handful when she's not phased – we don't need her a few hundred pounds heavier, with daggers for teeth and knives for nails. You want to try and stand up against her," Kali warned, trying to keep him from interfering. However, he refused to take no for an answer, moving towards the couch.

She could smell him, the smell of his aftershave… and his fear – fear from the possibility of losing her and their future together – as he moved closer to where she laid. Her wolf was awakening and she could feel her need to run, to ignore the pain as best she could. Maia could say honestly that it was in these dark days that she needed her wolf most, the only thing that could help her heal.

Maia only felt good, free, better… whole when she was her wolf and she was running.

"Look, you were right about what you said that day Gerard gave us that ultimatum," Derek said loudly, trying to get through to her, seeing Maia's hand curl into a tight fist. "You have always been right! Joshua's death was my fault, my burden, my cross to bear. You had no control over the situation and there was nothing you could have done – nothing. And Deucalion is right that you are the strongest of your kind, you are stronger than me and you are stronger than this! I can't handle life with you gone, especially not like this Maia, so tell me what it will take to help you, to fix you! I have done everything you have asked – worked on our marriage, gave you a pack… but its not enough."

He was quiet for a minute, his words failing him as he looked at her, swallowing, "I have given you everything except a… child." They were all caught off-guard by just how fast she could move, Maia leaping to her feet – knocking Deucalion to the floor in her movement – to kick the sofa at Derek. It pinned him against the wall for a moment before he promptly broke it in half, the Alpha growling at his mate. Maia's eyes glowed menacingly, baring her teeth at him when he moved to stand in her way of escape.

"Move," she snarled, hackles raised as she took a step towards him.

"I can't do that, Maia. You are not… okay."

Derek could see the crazed look in her eyes, seeing her muscles start to lengthen and ripple underneath her skin as she fought the urge to phase. "So now you're allowed to leave whenever it suits you and I'm supposed to what – to just deal? I strongly advise you to get out of my way before I break you in half," Maia shouted with snapping and growling punctuating her words.

He looked to Kali, seeing the Alpha female settling into a crouch, knowing that they would have to fight her, "Then I guess you'll just have to break me then."

"With pleasure."

Deucalion reached up to grab Maia around the back of the shirt, flinging her across the room with a shout. She landed lithely on her feet, lashing out at Boyd and Isaac when they moved to overpower her, dispatching them with ease. The Alphamega turned on Erica then, the young werewolf trying to stand stoic in the face of certain injury. "Erica, move!" Derek threw Kali at his wife, the two females fighting tooth and nail, Maia's jaws snapping at her friend's throat. Instead of attempting to break her neck, she simply wrapped her hand around Kali's throat, lifting her off of her feet with ease.

"I will not kill you Maia, but I cannot let you leave," she said with some difficulty, reaching out to score Maia's face. The woman snarled in reply as the wounds healed, pressing heavily on Kali's windpipe and watching her eyes flutter in her head, "You're not letting me do anything-"

Derek dragged her back by her hair, Kali dropping to the ground as Deucalion wrapped his arms around Maia, holding her immobile. "Maia! Stop!" She was out of control, however, freeing her arms from where they had been pinned by her side, reaching up to place one of her hands underneath his jaw and the other behind his neck. The two males' eyes locked together and Derek knew what was about to happen, making the split second decision to save his pack mate by smashing his elbow into her side.

She went flying through the sliding glass door but she was not down for long, Derek turning to see her, fully phased, roaring and literally running for the hills. There was a roar from beside him and then Deucalion was chasing after her, the second Alpha male following them both.

The dirt was loose and giving underneath Maia's paws, the air unusually cold as she sucked it into her lungs, her breath coming quickly from the adrenaline rushing through her body.

Derek didn't understand – none of them would ever understand, why this was so difficult for her. Maia had attempted to prepare for this and in the end, she would have it, but it was too much. Too overwhelming and too soon…

There was still something she had left to do.

Maia cut her thoughts short as she heard the two wolves gaining on her, looking back over her shoulder at Derek and Deucalion. Despite their hatred for each other, they were running side by side, intent on stopping her. She knew that she could out run them, but they would still follow her and that, she could not have.

The moon was moving to the highest point in the sky, Maia feeling her more logical mind starting to cease in functioning. Just the sensation of the wind rushing through her fur caused her to want to just close her eyes and lose herself in the night – as it was, she could not help but to have her eyes roll back in her head. The smell of the woods, the feel of the earth, the taste of freedom… all so incredibly distracting.

Derek and Deucalion burst into a clearing after hearing Maia's footfalls cease, the two wolves circling around one another as they attempted to follow her trail. And then a branch cracked, her mate looking up to see Maia leaping out of a tree, Derek rolling to the side. She moved to smash her forearm into Deucalion's neck, knocking the wolf off of his feet before turning on Derek.

His eyes pinned her down where she stood, bright and shiny, pleading for her to just… stop.

"You will never have me back unless you let me go!"

Maia feinted to the left before sliding through Derek's jaws and taking off like a bolt through the forest, preparing herself to phase again. However, he caught up to her while she was still human, pinning her to the ground and clamping his fangs around her neck. He jerked once to try and let her know that he was willing to put her down if he had to, Maia bracing both of her hands against his chest before throwing him off of her. She successfully phased once he had been dealt with for the moment, running with the sheer sense of exhilaration and longing, need and a slightly fearful anticipation as for what awaited her. Every inch of her being pushed towards the end and resolution she had always sought, the realization of it all now seeming clear to her.

Her thoughts fell away from her as she was filled with a single-minded determination, the massive wolf tearing across the landscape like a bat out of hell. There was something to be said about the strange duality of the mind when it came to an individual and their wolf, keeping their human needs in line with that of the more primal desires without seeming like it was doing either. The brain fired reflexively without a greater consciousness in response to the wolf – just like it did for their less domesticated brethren – but they could still somewhat process thoughts and emotions, even if it were at a basic level.

And it was a simple clarity that gave Maia peace and showed her the way, the path to the only thing that would put an end to the darkness.

Home.

Derek shifted as he looked at the destruction of the forest Maia had left in her wake, the huge wolf not even attempting to dodge the trees as she barreled through to something he had no idea was waiting for her.

He missed her already in the minutes that were stretching between them, the Alpha male letting out one mournful howl. And how quickly the roles had changed for them: Derek the one being left behind, Derek the one unable to escape…

"We shouldn't stop, not now," Deucalion panted as he caught up to his pack mate, sniffing the air to try and catch her scent once more. But Derek just shook his head, bracing himself against a nearby tree for support, "I have to let her go. That's what she said – to let her go…"

"To leave her rabid out there?"

Derek turned on Deucalion, baring his teeth and pushing on his shoulder threateningly. "I'm not leaving her anywhere! I just know that with her being unreasonable like this, no amount of chasing and no amount of fighting is going to stop her because she is not running to clear her head. She's running towards something."

There was a loud howl coming from where they had left, both men turning to look through the trees.

"That's Kali – she knows Maia's gone. She's taken over."

Another howl followed the first, deeper and lower, then another and then another before the night was full of the wolves' chorus, the pack calling out to the ones that had left them. Derek felt the pull towards his brothers and sisters, closing his eyes as he started running.

He would hunt for Maia another day.


	8. Where We Began

Derek sat quietly as the other Alphas bickered and argued, tapping his foot obsessively to keep his calm. It had been exactly thirteen hours since the full moon had passed, the pack in a state of shock and confusion over Maia's unseemly and sudden departure. From what they had been told, the majority of the wolves knew that she was not well and they were worried for her, plenty of pack members volunteering to go after her.

"All I am saying is that she showed quite a bit of constraint by not killing you, Deucalion! You know that she has about as many qualms for murder as you do," Ethan said angrily, looking at his pack mate with his arms followed across his chest. "And it is not wise to go after her, guns blazing, when she is not in her right mind."

"So what do we do then, Ethan? Just allow her to go," the older Alpha male sneering through his teeth as he paced in the living room of Hale house.

Kali shook her head and sat down on the arm of the sofa, running her hands back through her thick mane of hair. It was clear that she was the most upset about Maia's leaving – something that shocked him, especially with Deucalion involved. He could see the distress on her face when she looked up at him, her eyes fixed upon his, "Are you alright, Derek?"

He attempted to speak, having to clear his throat repeatedly and wring his hands as he sought to find his voice.

"No, Kali. No, I'm not."

She moved to kneel before him, sighing as she reached up and wrapped her arms around him. It was uncomfortable for him to be so close to the woman that was still effectively a stranger, but she did exude a comfort that he was in need of, the two Alphas still and quiet. The embrace went on for longer than what was probably necessary, but when Kali pulled away, his eyes followed her, the woman allowing her hands to stroke his face lightly.

"Believe in me, brother, when I say that I do not make light of your pain or loss – because I know you feel it much stronger than any of us. But you are not alone and we will do whatever we can to help you find her," Kali murmured, the others quiet as they listened to her speak. Deucalion took a step towards them, his attention on Kali as he inclined her head to his. "Help him? We are helping you, following whatever orders you decide to give – you are in charge of the pack now. Maia's departure made that so."

"I freely admit that those were her instructions, but they were given long before Derek ever entered the picture," she replied, standing and gesturing to Derek pointedly. "As her mate, the… chain of command shifts from me to him. Derek Hale has become this pack's Alpha – and our own as well. Our knees bend to him now."

Ennis growled menacingly, letting the entire room know how exactly he felt about her assumption, Aiden agreeing as he stepped forward. "I bend my knee to no man that has not earned it; he may be her husband and he may be my brother, but I will not just give into the will of someone who married into the pack rather than earning his place-" Aiden was silenced as Derek sailed into him, the Alpha male slamming him into the nearest wall and pinning his forearm against his throat. "Look, I was married to her long before this pack ever existed – I am the one who created her! So don't think that I have not earned my place here because I have been dealing with Maia for a very long time and I gotta say that after all we've been through together, I think my dues are paid," Derek snapped, baring his teeth at the younger Alpha.

He paused as he felt Ennis breathing against his neck, the massive Alpha clearly wanting Derek to set Aiden loose. However, Derek only looked over his shoulder at his pack brother, growling, "Back off, Ennis. I'm not going to hurt him: I need him to help me find Maia first – isn't that what we all want?"

The Alpha took a step back and Derek removed his arm from Aiden's neck, the young man shoving Derek before walking to where his brother stood. Ethan smacked him, nonchalant, before turning to look at Maia's mate, his arms spread wide in an attempt to dissuade him from being angry.

"I apologize for my brother, he has a bad habit of shooting his mouth off when no one has asked for his opinion."

"Yeah, well keep him quiet from now on," Derek replied as he sat down on the edge of the coffee table, cracking his knuckles as he tried to think. He closed his eyes and furrowed his brow, attempting to figure out what to do next. Only a few moments had passed before Deucalion scoffed, Derek opening his eyes to look at him evenly, "What?" The older Alpha sneered, his bright red eyes seeming like they burned through his pack mate as the two men faced off. "I'm just trying to understand how exactly you're going to find her, being as you know very little about who she is now. And how you expect for the others to follow you without earning that rank or respect. And why you think that you have more to lose than any of us do-"

Kali got to him before Derek could, punching him in the face and jerking him up by the collar of his tee shirt, her teeth like daggers. "In contrast to what you believe about the relationship between yourself and Maia, or the relationships she has with all of the other pack members, her mate bond with Derek trumps all of them! And if anyone – anyone at all – has everything to lose, it is Derek Hale," she roared, impressing her words upon him with another punch and a rough shove.

It was then that Derek stood, his eyes fixed on a point far beyond where any of them could see. "Everything to lose," he murmured as he reached up to pull his shirt up over his head, the Alpha male snarling more to the air than to anyone else. Derek prepared himself to phase, feeling his muscles start to lengthen and burn in anticipation for the run. "I have everything to lose…"

* * *

Derek pushed himself as he ran, barreling through the trees like a bullet, the wind and rain battering him like a bunch of sledgehammers. He had gotten himself caught right in the middle of a storm and he hated the soaked feeling of being in the rain like this, but he was a man on a mission, weather be damned.

The wind changed suddenly and he paused, braving the pounding rain in order to catch her scent. Maia had made no effort to cover her tracks, Derek having been able to follow her to where he was in lower Washington all the way from Beacon Hills.

If it had not been clear before, he knew exactly where she would be and that fact alone scared the hell out of him.

He knew that it happened all the time in the wild and he had even heard of an occurrence in their own kind, wolf-mothers who mourned so badly that they died, unable to move past the loss of a pup. Not knowing whether Maia was alright or not only made him run faster, the massive wolf hoping that he made it there in time…

Derek arrived in their old neighborhood just as the storm let up, sensing that his mate was close enough he could hear her heartbeat and her breathing – she was alive. He almost went to the ground from relief, his legs weary and his paws sore from the nearly twenty hours, non-stop run.

Coming out of the tree line from the left of the house, he phased back to stand on two feet, checking his surroundings before crossing the street, seeing the door standing half-open. Memories flickered in the back of his mind of the happier times they had had here, but they were long gone now, Derek sighing quietly. He was beyond certain that she knew he was here – her senses were keen enough that she would have smelled him coming from a mile away. And she knew, yes, but she did not come to greet him which was a bad sign.

He slipped into the house and was immediately assaulted by the smell of blood, not unlike how he had been when he had come home to find his son dead and his wife dying on their kitchen floor. "Maia!" Derek ran to the living room, seeing a man bloodied and mutilated on the couch, two women laying sprawled out on the floor, both dead.

"Jesus Christ…"

Derek looked over his shoulder and growled before moving to the main hallway, standing at the back door. He was angry but apprehensive with the truth that he had no idea of what awaited him on the other side of door.

"I can hear you breathing," her quiet voice came, soft and despondent. "I'm out here."

He took a deep breath and pushed open the door with a bang, ready to face the demons that lay in the garden. And there she was, standing at where their child had been buried, naked and covered in blood, her back to her husband. "What have you done," he asked quietly, Maia sniffling almost silently as she moved to clasp her hands before her. "I came here to see him – they wouldn't let me in." Derek snarled and moved to take one step towards her, looking back at the house, "And so you slaughtered them like sheep?"

"This is my house, my son and I was willing – obviously – to kill to be here," she replied in a monotone, the soft rain bouncing off of her body in a way that sounded like music. "Why the hell are you even here anyway Derek? You haven't been back here since you left."

"I never needed to come back."

Maia whirled around to look at her mate, the anger and sadness clear in her eyes, "And why is that exactly?"

He set his jaw, his hands balling into fists to keep himself from lashing out at her. It just seemed like they couldn't get past this, past things that had never been and things they could never change – they were both very stubborn when it came to their child.

"I left because I couldn't handle it and I admit that-"

"You're selfish," Maia replied vehemently, her arms coming across her chest. "You are the most selfish person I have ever met; you always up and leave when you can't handle things, even when people still need you. You don't give a shit about anyone but yourself Derek: admit it."

Derek's eyes narrowed but he stood his ground, refusing to go after her, "Fuck you Maia. I'm not the blame for everything bad that has happened in our lives – we share that burden. And where were you for months after he died, when I tried to talk to you and help and fix things before I just gave up? And what were you doing when I needed you on my side, huh? Oh yeah, you were plotting against me, keeping secrets and lying to me in order to work your own agenda to make me bend my knee to you! You have absolutely no right to call me selfish, none!"

"Are you serious," Maia asked, her voice rising louder with every word as the rain began to pick up again, falling in heavy sheets that felt like they were soaking her through to the bone. "I never promised that I was perfect and I even warned you – you never came with a magic sticker telling me how fucked up things would be when I married you!"

His eyes flew open in disgust and disbelief, her words seeming like a low blow. "You bitch."

"Go home."

"Absolutely not," Derek replied harshly, trying to slow his breathing so that he wouldn't phase and attack her. "I'm not going without a fight. And I will fight for you."

She bared her teeth, her claws menacing as she held her hand at her side, unbridled rage coursing through her veins along with venom. "Fine – lets fight it out, Derek." He didn't even attempt to move when Maia lunged at him, hearing her roar: he knew that she needed this release. She leveled him with a jaw-breaking punch to the face, Derek remaining on the ground as he grunted, wincing as his injury began to heal.

"Get up! Get the fuck up," Maia shouted, not caring who heard or saw them.

Derek did as she ordered and received a swift knee to the abdomen, grunting from the pain. He felt the air leave his lungs as her hardened body slammed into his with the force of a boulder, their bodies returning to the ground. Maia was silent other than a few grunts and snarls as she assaulted him, Derek braving the punches as they found purchase on his flesh. She stood, letting out an impassioned cry before bringing her foot down on Derek's thigh, hearing the bone there crack in half. He was strong for not roaring or at the least bit swearing, her husband simply gritting his teeth and looking at her. "Why won't you fight back? Isn't this what you wanted," Maia questioned, sinking into a predatory crouch that Derek wanted to flinch away from. "I am not going to fight you! But I am not just going to stand by and let you walking away from me – you run, I follow. Isn't that what you said? What would be gained by me fighting you," Derek asked, panting heavily as his leg began to burn and mend. And then he smirked, seeing the troubled look in her eyes, "It feels good to get angry though, doesn't it? Reminds you of how it feels to be utterly without happiness – and makes you only want it that much more. I've been angry for years, but all I want is to be happy again. Happy with you, Maia and if it takes years for you to want that too – enough so that you will try with me – I can wait. You know I'm not bullshiting you, because you know I'm not like this, romantic and emotional and all of this crap, but that I'm being honest with how I feel. I love you-"

"Have you ever realized that the things you're doing in life could potentially cost you everything and everyone you have ever loved? Have you," Maia asked, her bottom lip trembling. "I told you once that somewhere inside of them all, they hate me – I have made both enemies and friends. And the last thing I need now is this… I thought things had changed, gotten better but I can see now that nothing has changed Derek and we are right back where we started!"

"Only because you brought us here."

Her anger flared up again like a fire rekindled, white hot and intensely burning. "Our lives have been nothing more than a façade since you changed me, Derek. The emotions come along every now and again – love, passion, happiness – but they're fleeting and they're fake-"

"I hope you don't mean that," Derek said as he propped himself up on his bad leg, straightening up when he found it could hold weight. "Because… because goddamn it, you mean more than that to me! You are the very thing that reminds me of who I was when things were good and normal, the one that gives me hope for the future, the only thing that keeps me from losing myself. You keep me… me Maia Hale."

He watched as her face twisted from an intense inner pain before softening, Maia letting out a quiet exhale as she sought to steady her hands. All the anger she had inside of her dissipated, his wife wrapping her arms around her own chest and closing her eyes. Her face crumpled as he moved towards her, Derek reaching out to cup her cheek in his hand, "Before I left, Kali said that if anyone had everything to lose, it was me. And that is true because you are absolutely… everything to me. I can't lose you."

"I'm pregnant."

Those two simple words made Derek's entire mind go blank, the Alpha male looking down at her stomach – it was still flat, but it was like he was seeing her in a new light, like she glowed from within. She sniffed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, looking to the small grave they stood over.

"I found out a month ago: ten weeks gone tomorrow. Even though this is what I wanted, it just feels unexpected and… too soon after thing that has happened in the last few months. And the bad thing is I wish I could say that I was happy when I heard back from the doctor, but I wasn't – I just felt like I wasn't ready. Scared and fucking fearful that I couldn't protect this baby, that I'd lose him but mostly… mostly I was just terrified that everything would be okay and that one day along the road, that I'd forget about Joshua. I know that I said once before that I wanted to forget him, but I... I don't. He doesn't deserve that and this baby deserves a mother who isn't still caught up on a child that never was," she said, running her hand back through her stringy, wet hair.

"Listen to yourself," Derek replied quietly, shaking his head and sighing. "You do not have to be June fucking Cleaver to be a good mother. And you will be-"

Maia growled and looked away from him, gesturing to the house behind them, "Derek, look at me! I am the most fucked up person I know and you know that I'm right! I have so much… blood on my hands and I have done so many bad, terrible things!"

"Baby, we have all done terrible things! Look at us: we are terrible people, creatures, monsters," Derek shouted just as loudly, moving to cup her face in his hands. "But we can do this - together. I love you, so much Maia: that's the only thing that you can let matter."

She felt his hands in her hair and she exhaled heavily, looking up at him. "I know this may be a bad time but-"

Derek licked his lips before looking down at the droplets of water rolling down her body, ducking in to brush his mouth against hers. "Maia… we have to burn this house down soon, especially if those people have been missing for almost a day. But if we're quick about it-"

He found himself being dragged into the house, silently thanking whatever God that looked out for their kind for blessing him with a woman like Maia Hale.


	9. Up

Everyone – meaning everyone in the entire pack – was waiting for them when they arrived, Maia opening the door in shock.

"Whoa."

They were a little worse for wear from having to commit arson to cover up the murders and then spending the entire night running back, the two of them needing to burgle a house to grab a change of clothes on the way.

Kali was the first person who came to embrace Maia, the two women burying their faces in each other's shoulder, Derek's wife sniffling quietly. "I was so scared for you – for both of you," the Alpha female whispered, Maia knowing that the others would think she was speaking of Derek. "We're okay, Kali." They parted and before anyone else could move, Isaac was there, the two of them flinging themselves at each other. Isaac kissed her face repeatedly before stroking her hair back, cupping her cheeks in his hands, "Maia, don't you ever fucking do that again. Don't you ever just up and leave without saying anything – did you even think about what everyone who was left here would feel? We were here losing our fucking minds, worried about you! Promise that you'll never do that again."

"I promise Isaac."

Maia then turned to look at everyone sitting in the living room, running her fingers back through her hair and sighing. She pulled down the sleeves of her sweatshirt over her hands, her voice weary when she spoke, "Well, I would like to start out by saying that it is good to be home. And I want to apologize for worrying you by leaving without saying anything…

"I needed some time away to figure out how to deal with the change that is coming to my life, and thankfully for us all, I've gotten it together."

Deucalion looked at her from his perch on the arm of the couch, his arms folded across his chest, "There is to be even more change? Despite the past year, you think it wise to make even more changes to our way of life?"

"Not your life," Derek replied almost smugly, leaning against the doorway. "Ours."

"We're going to have ourselves a pup soon, a hopeful succession to the leadership of the pack," Maia said with a brilliant smile, pressing her hands to her stomach.

The women in the pack all flocked to her, the men patting Derek on the back as they moved to make themselves busy with other things. Peter came to stand with his nephew, smirking at the father-to-be, "You look as stupidly pleased with yourself now as you did when you came to the care home to tell me about knocking her up for the first time."

"Can't help it."

Peter sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Maia.

She was visibly exhausted from the events of the full moon past, but seemingly happy, a great smile on her face. If anyone had asked Derek, he would have said – although very cliché – that she was glowing, Maia finally vowing to him that she was going to get it right from this point forward.

"You have to be sure to protect her in these next few months: her being pregnant is going to be a red flag to other Alphas – even our own – that she's vulnerable. As well, watch out for the pup; he or she is going to assure your status as the Alpha male of the entire pack but if anything happens between now and its birth, you won't be so safe," Peter warned quietly, the two Hale men looking at each other evenly. "Tread lightly, nephew."

"Why are you telling me this?"

The older Hale looked around before scoffing, leaning in to speak to Derek, "Because this is politics and you have made it very clear that you don't care much for the way the world works. Look at it like this, there are two other men vying for both power and possession of the pack and Maia – maybe three, but I can't be sure: Ethan's difficult to read. And you, Derek, are like a lovesick puppy. You're not thinking logically about this… you're not thinking like a wolf. Watch your back or they will eat you and your cub, and you will become nothing more than a distant memory to Maia…"

* * *

"You weird me out so badly sometimes."

Derek chuckled as he continued the feather light caresses from the soles of her feet up to her thighs, loving how she looked laying on her stomach with her face buried in her pillow, "And why is that?"

"Because, I swear I know you one moment and then you decide to pull some bullshit out of your ass, like cooking me dinner and running me a bubble bath and giving me a goddamn massage," Maia said, raising her head to look up at him. "Are you complaining?" She grinned and moved to rest on her knees, pulling up her nightgown so that she could easily straddle him. "Hell no… God, I have missed this Derek. I haven't seen you smile so much since we got married and realized that we were having Joshua-" He put her on her back and kissed her before reaching down to rub her still-flat but warm stomach. "I found a reason to do so," Derek replied quietly, using his free hand to brush her hair back from her face before letting the hand on her stomach move further. She gasped and arched up towards his hand, the Alpha smirking. "Can we agree that the pillow talk has ended for the night?"

"Of course."

Maia smiled and moved to prop herself up on her hands and knees, feeling the roughness of calloused palms moving up the back of her thighs. He wrapped his arms around her body as she readjusted her nightgown once more, Derek leaning over her shoulder to kiss her. There was something about her mouth that just drove him crazy, the way her skin burned against his and how her tongue twisted around his teasingly.

He pressed his hips against her backside, reaching down to adjust himself before sinking to the hilt within her, both of them grunting. "Good God Derek, you must really be trying to start off on a good foot this time around," Maia said through her teeth, feeling his hands tighten on her hips as they started to move.

"Be quiet, you."

She closed her eyes as she felt Derek start to plant kisses on the exposed skin of her shoulders and neck, knowing that they could only go up from here…

Later, Derek came back from the kitchen with a cup of water to find Maia just as he had left her, deeply asleep with a smile on her face. Her hair was fanned out around her pillow, one hand tangled there as the other rested on her stomach.

He moved to lie down beside her, sighing as he pulled her against him and buried his face in her neck. Derek just listened to the gentle hum of her breath and the almost silent thud of her heartbeat, thinking of when he could feel a baby kick within her again, the doctor's appointments and the ultrasounds, of making a nursery. He didn't want to think about holding his baby though, because he just wasn't ready to hope that much…

Seeming to sense his discomfort, Maia pressed herself further against him, opening her eyes for a moment to look at him before taking his hand in hers.

The next time her eyes closed, his did too.


End file.
